The Cunning Canary

This festival takes place in late June and celebrates the history of Las Palmas. You can see plenty of local festivities and rituals, together with sporting events, open-air concerts and theatrical performances. There are also food stalls so you can sample some Canarian cooking. At the end of this festival, there are firework displays and bonfires at various places around the island.

Photos of Fireworks on Las Canteras Beach by Rol1000

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Many illegal immigrants from Africa spend the meagre savings they have on a passage to Gran Canaria. Rather than arriving in the land of milk and honey where accommodation and work are easy to come by (as they have been told), most of them arrive dead, almost dead or don’t arrive at all. They come over in “pateras” which are small boats.

 
Photo By ConilsInFronteras

The crossing can take weeks (depending on the wind and whether they even stay on course) and food and water runs out long before then. There is also no shelter from the weather.

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Semanta Santa, or Holy Week and Easter, is one of the biggest Canarian festivals, the Canary Islands being a Catholic Island. This is between 16th and 23rd March, Sunday 16th March being Palm Sunday (Domingo de Ramos) and 23rd March being Easter Sunday (Domingo de Resurrección) and Easter Monday (Luna de Pascua). Easter is usually in April but it falls very early this year.

Photo By CGT

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The Rally El Corte Inglés is the biggest car rally held in Gran Canaria. Every year there are many people, both visitors and Canarians, who watch this rally, where domestic and international competitors battle it out across Gran Canaria for their chance to win the Corte Inglés Rally Trophy.

The course has 8 different stages, including those around San Mateo, Telde, San Mateo, Vallesco, Teror and Llanos de la Pez. Some of the stages have difficult mountainous terrain.

Over 100 teams take part in this rally, which is held in April every year. It is free to watch and this year will take place from 17th to 19th April. This year’s rally is Gran Canaria’s 32nd.

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There is always lots going on in Gran Canaria, whether it is a Saint’s Day accompanied by a procession, a local fiesta with music and dancing or a sporting or musical event. No matter which month you choose for your holiday, there will be plenty of things to do.

Here are some of the main ones:

January 6th - Dia de los Reyes (Three Holy Kings Day)
This is when the Canarian children get their Christmas presents (but because there are so many British kids on the island now, their parents give some on 25th December too, so they don’t feel too left out!)

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This is a placeholder which will be filled in shortly with 2009 events.

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Canary Islands’ Day is celebrated on May 30th every year.  The government, 87 municipalities and town councils all take part in the organisation of a great festival celebrating the islands - how they were and how they are now.

If you plan to be here for Canary Islands Day 2008, you can expect to enjoy traditional plays, traditional food tasting, folk music, dancing to a Canarian orchestra and a demonstration of traditional Canarian sports, such as stick-fighting and Lucha Canaria (a type of wrestling).

Photo By Secret Tenerife

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During Semana Santa, you can see pre-Easter processions where religious icons and statues are carried through the streets. The biggest processions take place in Las Palmas, the capital of Gran Canaria, but most towns and villages have their own celebrations and processions. Holy Week is in March or April (depending on the exact date of Easter). Easter in 2008 falls on March 23rd.

Photo By Guijarro85

The festivities start with the Domingo de Ramos (Palm Sunday) and end with Lunes de Pascua (Easter Monday). It is really a celebration of life itself and the whole island comes alive and takes part.

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Fiesta del Almendro en Flor is a festival to honour the almond blossoming. This event, which takes place in February each year, marks the beginning of spring. Tejeda and Valsequillo are renowned for their almond trees and thousands of locals and tourists come together to celebrate this popular gathering.  Almond trees are beautiful in flower and you know what the Canarians are like… any excuse for a party!

Photo By Alebo

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Gran Canaria is the gay capital of Europe and the Yumbo Centre and gay-friendly environment attract many people over from various countries. The main parades are centered around the Yumbo area of Playa del Ingles. Gay Pride 2008 is from 5th to 11th May - a whole week of partying!

You can expect to see floats and the most outrageous costumes ever. I went to the one last year and it was about 40ºC so don’t forget to take plenty of water because the crowds are huge and it can be hard to find a shady spot!

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